Fair View Films

07/10/2025

JO IN THE WATER: WORLD CINEMA PREMIERE
Jo in the Water will have its world cinema premiere at Exeter Phoenix at 2:30pm on Sunday 16th November.

The film will be followed by a Q&A with Jo Bateman, director Pip Piper and Surfers Against Sewage CEO Giles Bristow and a special after-party with live DJ and acoustic performances from some of the musicians involved in the film.

Following the premiere, there will be some exclusive screenings with key partners and then Jo in the Water will roll out into cinemas across the country in Spring 2026.

Jo in the Water follows a passionate sea swimmer turned reluctant activist, Exmouth-based Jo Bateman, as she takes on one of the UK’s biggest water companies in a David-and-Goliath battle to protect our waters from devastating sewage pollution.

Featuring Jo Bateman, The Jeremy Vine, Chris Packham and Jim Murray MBE.

“Jo inspires people… they realise that together we have a greater strength. In a shoal like this we become mighty.”
Chris Packham, Wildlife TV presenter & conservationist

Tickets for the premiere available to buy now via the Exeter Phoenix website:
https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/jo-in-the-water/

13/08/2025

BTS from yesterday's shoot at Bumble and Bee Cafe. So grateful to Debra Quine for sharing her passion for coffee, community, Exmouth and why she can't stray too far from the sea...

This is almost all our filming now complete and thanks to amazing support we are under £300 away from hitting our Crowdfunder target. If you can help us get over the line, please click below:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water #

04/08/2025

JO BATEMAN MEETS RIVER ACTION & FRIENDS OF THE THAMES

In a scene from our forthcoming documentary Jo in the Water, Jo Bateman goes to meet founder of Friends of The Thames, Laura Reineke and River Action UK Head of Communities Erica Popplewell.

Our water system has been hit by a perfect storm: climate change, population growth and systematic sewage pollution by the water companies. It is an environmental and financial scandal.

Do you feel passionately about nature and the environment? We need your help NOW!

This is not just Jo’s fight—it’s all of ours. And the time to act is now.

We are seeking final funds to complete the documentary, to deliver real impact & ensure the film reaches the widest possible audience. Thanks to amazing support so far, we are at 83% of our target. If you can, please support our Crowdfunder now:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water

30/07/2025

WHEN JO BATEMAN MET SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE

A couple of months ago we were privileged to witness a meeting between our favourite accidental activist Jo Bateman and one of the original founders of Surfers Against Sewage, the legendary Chris Hines. With SAS marking 35 years of campaigning, it feels like now more than ever we need people like Chris and Jo to be leading the way and setting an amazing example...We all came away more inspired and determined!

We are in the closing stages of making our documentary and want to thank all who have supported us in getting to 76% of our Crowdfunder target; still 35 days left if you feel able to get onboard the campaign!
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water

26/07/2025

JO IN THE WATER CROWDFUNDER: 75% OF TARGET PLEDGED SO FAR

Thanks so much to all those who have already supported our new Crowdfunder campaign.

We are closing in our target which will ensure we can get this important film finished!

If you can, please share or donate yourself; every ripple counts.

Listen to director Pip Piper explain why he simply HAD to tell this story and click through to our Crowdfunder below:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water

22/07/2025

The Independent Water Commission report is a massive missed opportunity.

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, has described it as “putting lipstick on a pig” and that it “utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit”.
He says: “Only one path forward remains: a full, systemic transformation that ends the ruthless pursuit of profit and puts the public good at the heart of our water services.”

River Action UK says the Independent Water Commission “blinked” when it had a “once-in-a-generation” chance to make major changes. “Instead, we’ve been handed vague policy nudges that leave the current failed privatised water company model intact,” chief executive James Wallace says.

The report merely offers “the illusion of change, not real change.”

We have to keep up the pressure on government to stop tinkering around the edges of the broken water system.

Our film looks at how individual action CAN make a difference.

If you can help us get this important film finished, click on link below for our Crowdfunder campaign:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water #

THANK YOU ALL who have supported so far! Please do contribute if you can as we seek to reach our target and make a really impactful film.

30/06/2025

NEW CROWDFUNDER TO GET JO IN THE WATER DOCUMENTARY FINISHED

Jo in the Water tells the story of a passionate sea swimmer turned reluctant activist, Jo Bateman.

We are seeking final funds to complete our documentary, to deliver real impact & ensure the film reaches the widest possible audience.

"Jo inspires people… they realise that together we have a greater strength.
In a shoal like this we become mighty."
Chris Packham, Wildlife TV presenter & conservationist.

Could you help today by supporting this film?

Jo in the Water is a powerful, emotional feature-length documentary film. It is not just about water pollution; it is about connection—to nature, to our own sense of place, and to our responsibility for the world around us.

The film is in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage and River Action UK and additional support from The Dixon Foundation.

Our new Crowdfunder fundraising campaign is live; every ripple counts- be part of the story!

Link to donate here:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/jo-in-the-water

01/05/2025

Every ripple counts. Be part of the story: contribute £10 now to help get the film finished and ensure that it makes the biggest impact possible.

Jo in the Water: the fight to save our rivers, lakes and seas

A feature documentary coming to cinemas across the UK in Autumn 2025

In partnership with Surfers Against Sewage and River Action UK

🙌 IF 1,000 OF YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE, WE WILL BE ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING THIS FILM OVER THE LINE.

HOW YOU CAN HELP NOW...

👉 CLICK BELOW to visit our new website to learn about Jo Bateman’s amazing story & contribute £10 to help us get Jo in the Water finished.

https://www.jointhewater.com

27/02/2025

So is this finally the moment that our voices get heard?

This morning BBC News reports that he public, environment groups and investors are being asked for their views about how the water sector can be changed by a body set up by the UK government.

The head of a new independent commission will invite ideas on how to fix England and Wales’ troubled water industry.

Our film follows the story of campaigner Jo Bateman and her battle with South West Water against the backdrop of the amazing work by Surfers Against Sewage River Action UK SOS Whitstablee SaveTheWye and so many others across the country.

We all know how to save our seas, rivers and lakes; listen and take action before it’s too late 🙏

Public urged to respond to commission on fixing system in England and Wales - but chairman rules out nationalisation.

29/11/2024

JO IN THE WATER: THE FIGHT TO SAVE OUR SEAS, LAKES & RIVERS

Jo in The Water is a feature documentary in the making that highlights the terrible reality of sewage and pollution in our lakes, rivers and seas. The film follows the courageous story of Exmouth activist Jo Bateman and ripples out into the amazing work of other grass roots campaigners such as SOS Whitstable, Save the Wye and Save Windermere. The film also explores and gives voice to the wider impact on nature and our universal (dis)connection to water through art, poetry and music.

The film is being made by a team of award-winning indie filmmakers in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage and River Action UKK and will go into UK cinemas summer 2025.

Help us speak truth to power and amplify the tireless efforts of the people and communities campaigning for clean water.

584,001 discharges of raw sewage into UK waterways in 2023 alone!

Only 14% of the UK’s rivers are considered to be in good ecological health, and every single one of them fails to meet required chemical standards!

Water company CEOs took home an eye-watering £16.5 million in the 2021/22 financial year!

We are stronger together.

Would you contribute and share today? We have 16 days left to reach our fundraising target.

Support our Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign here:
https://igg.me/at/D95e1j5Cuk0/x/38103204 #/

18/11/2024

Thanks so much to the Dixon Foundation for supporting Jo in the Water as a platinum partner. Your support will help us get this really important film over the line and infant of as many people as possible.

“The Dixon Foundation is a UK-based charity that backs bold initiatives working to help people and our natural world flourish together.
We are curious, collaborative and driven by a deep sense of urgency to regenerate our planet. We work by setting challenges to some of the toughest issues faced within our thematic areas of interest, and fund impact-driven organisations that rise to our challenges with radical, scalable and sustainable solutions.”

If you can share or support our crowdfunding campaign, there’s 27 days left! Link below:

https://igg.me/at/D95e1j5Cuk0/x #/

09/11/2024

WHAT DO WE WANT? CLEAN WATER! WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW!

Last Sunday at the March for Clean Water 15,000 people sent a clear message to Keir Starmer’s government: we want clean water NOW.

“Jo and I share something in common and that is we have a right as citizens of the UK to take legal cases against companies and against governments. What Jo has done is she has created a platform for conversation which is continually spreading the truth and the truth, whether it’s judged or not, about your case. And that is winning. And that’s what you did on that stage, so brilliantly, so brilliantly.”

Chris Packham, Environmentalist and Broadcaster talking with Jo Bateman at the March for Clean Water November 3rd 2024, London.

We were in the the thick of things, filming for Jo in the Water, our forthcoming feature documentary.

Please support our film’s crowdfunding campaign if you can and please share far and wide. Link here:
https://igg.me/at/D95e1j5Cuk0/x/38103204 #/



In partnership with Surfers Against Sewagee and River Action UK